CHESS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 839, 30 March 1888, Page 6

CHESS.

A 1 communications for this department must be addressed to the Chess Editor, Mr O. W. Benbow. 30/3/88 J.H. (Marten).— On looking at the problem again you will see that No. 890 cannot be solved by 1 K to B 7, because of Black’s reply of IExP (ch) etc. H.H. (Christchurch).—Much obliged for information re postage. Are writing you.

SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. No. BS9 (Arthur P. Silvera). This problem, as pointed out by our correspondents, is defective, as it admits of solution by 1 B fro R 4 (ch), and also by 1 R to K 8. No. 890 (Ch : Kondelik). 1 Kt x P IRxQ 2Ktto Kt 3 (dis ch) 2 K moves 3 Kt mates Solved by J. J.M. (Christchurch); A.L.T. (Wanganui); R.P. (Gisborrib), ‘As fine a piece of workmanship as I have seen for many a day (9) ’; D.T.C. (Blenheim) ; T.S. (Ashurst). • A splendid bit of Kt play (8J) ’; Horace (Patea), and M.R. (Taranaki). The key-move is good and the afterplay admirably supports It (9).'

PROBLEM No. 899. By Thomas Sexton (Ashurst),

Black.

White.

White to play and mate in two moves.

PROBLEM No. 900. By Victor Gorgias and James Pierce.

Black.

White. White to play and mate in three moves,

CHESS IN BIRMINGHAM.

It is with sincere and unfeigned regret that we record the sudden death of the Rev. T. C. Yarranton, M.A., vicar of Wythall, which occurred suddenly on Monday morning, the 14th November, the rev. gentleman being found dead in his bed. Asa chess player Mr Yarranton was in the front rank of first-class Midland players. His play was brilliant and ingenious and of the sort that attacks freely and with vigor. He was a past president of the Birmingham chess club and was always to be relied upon when ‘stiff’ play was expected. His simplicity and genial guilelessness of manner endeared him to all his ches3 associates, and his tall, lithe figure which no one could for a moment associate with the age of sixty seven, will long be missed in the «hief haunts of the noble game. His last public appearance at chess was when he played in the Midland Tournament of 1883. The following game was played many years ago between Mr Yarranton and Mr C. W, Benbow, and contains some interesting points. Evans’ Gambit. White. Black. (Rev. T. C. Yarranton.) (Mr C. W. Benbow.) 1 P to K 4 1 P to K 4 2 Kt to KB 3 2 Kt to Q B 3 3 B to B 4 3 B to B 4 4 P to Q Kt 4 4 B x Kt P 5 P to Q B 3 5 B to B 4 6 P to Q 4 6PxP 7 Castles 7 P to Q 3 g p x p 8 B to Kt 3 9 P to Q 5 There are several ways of continuing the attack at this point. When this game was played the move in this text was very fashionable, and it appears to be as good as anything else. 9 Kt to R 4 10 B to Q Kt 2 10 Kt to K 2 An invention of Herr L. Paulsen. 11 B to Q 3 11 Castles 12 Kt to Q B 3 12 Kt to Kt 3 13 Kt to K 2 13 P to Q B 4 14 Q to Q 2 14 P to K B 3 15 Kt to Kt 3 15 B to Q 2 16 Q R to Q B sq 16 P to Q R 3 17 Kt to R 5 This move is unusual and does not seem to effect much in forwarding the attack. 17 B to Kt 4 18 Kt to K sq 18 Q R.to B sq 19 B to Q B 3 19 Kt to K 4 20 K to R sq 20 Q Kt to B 5 21 Q to K 2 21 Kt x B 22 Kt x Kt 22 Is-t toKl 23 B x Kt 23 P x B 24 P to K B 4 24 Q to K sq 23 O to Kt 4 25 Q to Kt 3 25 Qto 6 (ch) 23 Ktoß *q

! 27 R to K B 3 27 B x Kt 28 Rx B 28. Q xKt 29 Q x B 29 Q to K 7 30 R to K R 3 30 Q x IC P 31 Q x Kt P 31 R to Q Kt sq 32 Q to K 7 32 Q x Q P 33 P x K P 33 Q x K P 34 R to K 3 34 Q x Q 35 It x Q 35 K R to Q B sq 36 P to K R 3 36 P to K R 3 37 R to Q sq 37 P to B 5 38 Q R to Q 7 38 R to K Kt sq 39 R to Q B 7 39 Q R to Q B sq This was very weak ; although in any case to win the game was a difficult task. 40 R to Kt 7 White might easily have drawn the game at this crisis by taking Kt P with R. 40 P to B 6 41 R to Q Kt sq 41 P to B 7 42 R to Q B sq 42 K R to Q sq 43 K R to K sq 43 R to Q 7 44 K to Kt sq 44 Q It to Q sq 45 K to B sq 45 K to R 2 46 R to K 2 46 R to Q 8 (ch) and wins.

Pamphlet of the Adelaide Chess Congress.— Ere our readers see these lines the editor hopes that this little publication will be issued. Orders have been received from all parts of Australia and New Zealand, and chessplayers who may wish to secure a copy are recommended to send Is Id without delay to the editor, Mr H, CharUclc, Observer office Adelaide.

Obituary.—Chessplayers all over the world will learn with regret that Miss Flora Steinitz, the only daughter of Mr William Steinitz, died of rheumatic fever on January 15, after an illness of four months. Miss Steinitz was 21 years of age.—Australasian. Fascinations of Chess. —The London Tit Bits is responsible for the following : —‘ In the history of the Saracens it is said that when A 1 Amin, the Caliph of Bagdad, was besieged in his city by his hereditary enemy, A 1 Murun, he was engaged in a game of chess with his freedman and attendant, Kuthan. The enemy was advancing in tremenduous force upon the city gates. Terror-stricken, the courtiers rushed in to warn the Caliph of his danger, but he would pay no attention to them. ‘Let me alone,’ he said, ‘ I see a checkmate against Kuthan.’ This ruler was so devoted to chess that he had his kingdom searched for all the good players, and had them brought to his palace where, whatever their rank, he made them his friends, and heaped gifts upon them. Among these was the slave Kuthan who became the Caliph’s favorite antagonist in the game. The case of A 1 Amin furnishes aby no means singular instance of the absorption of interest possible in this fascinating game. King John was at chess when the deputation at Rouen came to tell him that Philip Augustus had besieged that city, but he refused to give them an audience until the game was done. Ch arles I. was engaged in playing chess when the news was brought to him that the Scots were going to sell him into the hands of the English, and manifested no interest whatever in the intelligence until his game was finished. So, too, .John Frederic, Elector of Saxony, who, imprisoned in 1547, was beguiling the time by playing chess with a fellow-captive at the moment when a messenger came to tell him that the Emperor had sentenced him to be beheaded before Wittsnburg. He betras'ed no agitation at the news, but proceeded with the game, and expressed the heartiest satisfaction at the close over the fact that he had beaten his opponent.’